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| Late Hamilton |
The Nigeria Football
Federation on Thursday paid glowing tributes to former Nigeria player and
coach, Paul Hamilton, who passed on same day in Lagos after a protracted
illness.
Dr. Sanusi Mohammed, NFF General Secretary, said: “We are
in terrible shock. ‘Wonderboy’ Hamilton was a perfect gentleman in the real
sense of the word, despite being a former international player for Nigeria and
a Chief Coach of the senior national team.
“He worked very hard with his whole heart for Nigeria in
all spheres, as a player, a coach and as an administrator. The Nigeria football
family will miss him dearly,” Sanusi further noted.
Hamilton, who played for the senior
national team in the 1960s and early 1970s, including featuring in the football
tournament at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, died in the early hours of
Thursday in Lagos. He was said to have been diagnosed of heart and kidney
related health issues some months ago, and had his right leg amputated early
this year.
Nicknamed ‘Wonderboy’
for his delicate skills and on-field wizardry, Hamilton was at a few times head
coach of the senior national team, including taking the reins for the 1990 FIFA
World Cup qualifying series, before Dutchman Clemens Westerhorf took over with
only the last match of the campaign (away to Cameroon in Yaounde) left in the
series.
He was also head coach of the Nigeria U20 squad that took
the bronze medals at the FIFA World Youth Championship (now known as FIFA U20
World Cup) in the Soviet Union in 1985.
‘Wonderboy’ was also
the first head coach of the senior women national team, Super Falcons, and
steered the team to the 1991 and 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup final
competitions.
He was also at
different times Head of Technical Department and Head of Lagos Liaison Office
of the Nigeria Football Federation.
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